Thread: Ice Bear 10,000 Grit Waterstone

Has anyone had any experience with this stone? I picked one up at Highland ( http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/i...OD&ProdID=5530 ) and am thinking of touching up my Lynn-sharpened straight that I mis-stropped right off the bat. My first experience, I'm sure I'm not the only person to have done this.

J.

Originally Posted by Jonedangerousli

... I mis-stropped right off the bat. My first experience, I'm sure I'm not the only person to have done this.

Nope, and you won't be the last :-( I did this to my first two... It's one of life's little ironies that newbies are the most in need of a professional honing, and the most likely to quickly damage it. I was lucky that I got one shave out of mine before I killed the edge, and that one shave was the most incredibly close and comfortable shave I had ever experienced - I was hooked instantly.

The grit sounds ok, but I'm not sure how quickly it cuts. Make sure you lap it first (there are like 50,000,000,000 threads on that topic) and round off the edges. After that, just do it gently, slowly and in 5 stroke increments (on each side).

About the stone you speak of. I am the owner of a full array of acceptable Naniwa waterstones. BUT not happy with the finisher (10k). I find it hard to put it into the rotation. Anyway after having great results with a clay based King 6K and the lack of any happiness with the resin based Naniwa. Anyway I bought an icebear clay based terrific stone. Pity it takes you $500 bucks to learn whats already public info.

Could you please explain what you don't like about the Naniwa (I'll assume Superstone) 10k hone? I think it is a perfectly fine (pun acknowledged) hone.

Utopian,

Mate, I find the naniwa SS 10k to be a very hard stone indeed. Now lets be clear, I am inexperienced at honing (6 months roughly), But I used a clay based king 6k and I got an edge you could shave with from the 6k. True. Then I go to the 8k to polish, and supposedly the 10k to finish the perfect edge. Not so for me with the Naniwa SS 10k, This problem is 75% poor technique, but if the clay based Ice Bear can give me that extra 25% well I'll give it a go. The Ice Bear 10 K comes with a nagura stone too, so....I'll report the results when I get them. Cheers, Bob

Originally Posted by bobski

Utopian,

I find the naniwa SS 10k to be a very hard stone indeed.

There you go. A softer stone is easier for a beginner to use. It's not the stone at fault but as you say technique.
Compared to some of my naturals or even the 20k suehiro, I wonder just how hard the SS 10k really is.

Thanks oz,
My technique seems OK when I use the clay based king in the 6k, getting an edge then even though I use little presure after the 10K superstone the keeness has deserted me. I get there using slurries and only a super light stroke. My logic of the Ice Bear 205 x 25 x 75 10K is that it hopefully will provide a smoother honing experience. Mate if you have any idea of what I'm doing wrong with the nani, go for it. My issue I think is pressure? I try so hard not to put any pressure on the higher grits. I'm learning! (The ice bear comes with a nagura stone)

And in fairness to myself, I have 8 razors in the rotation and the only problem razor is a new age Giessen & Forstoff. that wouldn't cut butter. So to simply put the whole deficiency down to poor technique is a stretch. Never the less, I'm keen to improve the technique. THE 10k icebear hone has enormous wraps. Who knows I may get by without any blood loss....lol. I do, however like the clay based hones. Funny you never hear them advertised (Ice bear) They are more expensive than a naniwa 10k SS, but little info is available.

Cheers Bob

Originally Posted by bobski

And in fairness to myself, I have 8 razors in the rotation and the only problem razor is a new age Giessen & Forstoff. that wouldn't cut butter.

Well that tells me a lot.
Commonly when people have trouble at higher grits the bevel is not set properly. On a new G&F that is a given unless you really put in a lot of effort. You can do it on 1k but it does take time. I have resorted to a 320 grit stone in the past but there need be no mystery about it. Once you know what your looking at you can see thru a loupe if the 2 sides meet or not. I'd bet London to brick yours don't if it "won't cut butter".